In 2016, Miriam Melendez was a senior at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, excited to begin her first year at the University of California, Berkeley studying mechanical engineering.
Now, after some help from an Edison International scholarship, she’s an aerospace engineer — living the dream she once thought was out of reach.
“Being on the robotics team in high school was the first time I saw something I made come to life, and I knew that was my calling,” Melendez said.
Miriam Melendez (third from left) and her vehicle structures design team built a rocket structure that supports the engines and helps carry their force through the rest of the rocket.
As a first-generation college student from Long Beach, she had always wanted to work in the aerospace industry. But financing her education was one of the biggest hurdles standing in the way.
Not wanting to let the cost of college stand in her way, Melendez applied to be an Edison Scholar and was awarded $40,000 — an amount that has since been upped to $50,000. Funded by Edison International, the program recognizes 30 high school seniors annually in SCE’s service area, helping them pursue careers in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).
“Finding out I was an Edison Scholar overwhelmed me with gratitude. It felt like someone was telling me, ‘You got this, go do it,’” she said.
Without the added pressure of finding a job to cover expenses and make ends meet, Melendez was able to join Berkeley's Formula SAE racing team, where students design and build race cars from scratch.
Miriam Melendez (center) worked at Boeing in South Carolina during the Engineering Careers Foundations Program’s 2022 Annual Development Event, where students participated in career development and networking opportunities.
“I’ll never forget seeing the car my team built run for the first time and thinking, ‘We did that,’” Melendez said. “Being an Edison Scholar allowed me to turn off the part of my brain always worried about money and focus on engineering.”
A decade later, Melendez is living her dream as a structures design engineer at Varda Space Industries, designing parts for satellites and the equipment they carry into space, making sure each piece can be built efficiently and cost-effectively. She also helps shape the young company’s engineering approach to design, creating processes others will follow for years to come.
“I got my start at Boeing and was convinced I’d spend my whole career there,” Melendez said. “Seven years and three companies later, my path looks different than I imagined, but I’m still doing what I love: designing things and watching them come to life.”
Earlier this year, Miriam Melendez (second from left) joined the 2026 Edison Scholars reception as an alum panelist, offering advice and insights to the program’s newest scholars.
Through the Edison Scholars program, Edison International has awarded more than $22 million in scholarships to 850 students like Melendez, helping empower STEM students to become leaders in their communities, tackle complex challenges and develop innovative solutions that create a lasting impact.
“Building a clean energy future will take talented people with different backgrounds, experiences and ideas,” said Aja Clarke, director of Corporate Relations and Philanthropy. “When financial barriers are removed, scholars can focus on their education today and become tomorrow’s innovators.”
For Melendez, being an Edison Scholar provided more than just financial support. It helped her pursue opportunities and the career she had dreamed about and connected her to a community of like-minded people she still leans on today.
“That scholarship changed everything,” Melendez said. “To any student who feels like they don't belong in STEM, don’t be afraid to take up space. You belong here.
Applications for the 2027 Edison Scholars cohort are now open, and eligible students can apply through Jan. 21, 2027.
For more information on Edison International’s commitment to giving back, visit edison.com/community.
